The Government Of Kenya And The Nature Conservancy Unveil US$160m Thamani Asili Community Conservation Initiative

A national conservation initiative to improve livelihoods, strengthen community  leadership and benefit millions of Kenyans. 

Taita Taveta, Kenya…21 October 2026. The Government of Kenya, in collaboration with  The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Enduring Earth, today unveiled the Thamani Asili  Project Finance for Permanence (PFP), a US$160 million landmark national initiative  designed to secure long-term financing for conservation needed to conserve Kenya’s  natural heritage while supporting community livelihoods, water security, climate  resilience, sustainable economic growth and the world-renowned wildlife tourism  sector.  

Launched by Hon. Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Thamani Asili signals a new chapter in how Kenya finances conservation, shifting from short term project funding to a long-term investment in the country’s people, wildlife and  natural resources. The initiative is expected to directly benefit around 1.6 million  people, while a further 3.9 million people could benefit from stronger land governance,  effective natural resource management and expanded economic opportunities linked to  nature. 

Central to the ethos of Thamani Asili (‘‘value of nature” in Kiswahili) is placing  communities at the heart of collaborative environmental and development efforts,  recognising that long-term conservation success depends upon the wellbeing and  leadership of local people. 

Opportunities enabled by Thamani Asili will include ecological tourism, sustainable  grazing, carbon programs and other nature-based businesses that support household  incomes. Within the landscapes supported by the initiative, these investments are  expected to create around 7,800 direct jobs plus a further 15,000 indirect jobs,  benefiting up to 80,000 people through new livelihoods and business opportunities. 

At its core, Thamani Asili supports conservation led by communities. It strengthens  local governance, supports land-use planning and ensures that people living alongside  wildlife can benefit directly while managing natural resources sustainably. It also  supports practical measures to reduce human wildlife conflict, including improved  livestock protection and land management approaches. 

Building on TNC’s past experience of supporting multiple other PFP projects with  national governments including those of Gabon and Mongolia, the initiative recognises  the extent to which Kenya’s economy depends on nature. By investing in conservation,  the country is also supporting jobs, economic growth and long-term resilience for  crucial sectors including agriculture, tourism and water.

Over the next decade, Thamani Asili will help conserve ~17.3 million hectares of  territory, supporting Kenya’s goal of conserving 30 percent of its lands, inland waters  and near-shore ecosystems. This includes establishing ~2.7 million hectares of  conserved areas, in partnership with communities and other stakeholders. 

The initiative will also improve the management of ~11 million hectares of existing  conservation areas, while enabling the conditions needed for communities to better  manage another ~6 million hectares. 

Thamani Asili is also expected to drive climate progress, In line with Kenya’s  commitments to the Paris Agreement, by helping avoid ~7.5 million tons of carbon  emissions by 2035. 

As the third PFP in Africa, Thamani Asili is designed to mobilise US$ 80 million from  philanthropy, with the Government of Kenya expected to match this with an equivalent  US$ 80 million over 10 years.  

“Conserving nature creates opportunities, strengthens livelihoods and honours the  cultures and heritage of the people who live alongside wildlife. Through Thamani Asili,  we are strengthening the partnership between Government, conservation institutions  and communities to ensure that the value of our natural heritage translates into lasting  benefits for our people. Our commitment is clear: to protect our wildlife, empower  communities and build a future where both people and nature thrive together.” Hon.  Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife. 

“Conservation is not just about protecting wildlife; it is about protecting a way of life,  honouring the cultures and heritage of our communities, and securing a future where  people and wildlife thrive together. When elephants and livestock drink from the same  water points, we are reminded that we share one landscape and one responsibility. Our  communities are not separate from conservation; they are its heart. Together, we must  ensure that the people who live alongside wildlife are not only its custodians but also  beneficiaries of its value. Because when communities thrive, wildlife thrives, and our  natural heritage lives on for generations to come.” Director General of the Kenya Wildlife  Service, Prof. Erustus Kanga 

Ruth Masha, Country Director for Kenya at The Nature Conservancy, said: “We know that when communities lead, conservation can deliver lasting results.  Thamani Asili strengthens community rights, voices and decision-making over land and  resources, so people can conserve the places they depend on while also improving  livelihoods, creating jobs and building stronger, more resilient local economies for the  future.” 

Thamani Asili will be implemented through a long-term plan that brings together  conservation, communities and financing. It will be administered by the Thamani Asili  Fund for Kenya, a newly created independent conservation trust fund responsible for  managing and disbursing donor funding to the PFP and tracking progress.

Initial efforts will focus on four priority landscapes across the country: Tsavo to Coastal,  Greater Ewaso, Greater Rift to Western, and Southern Kenya. These areas are critical for  biodiversity, water security and livelihoods, and are central to Kenya’s conservation and  development goals. 

Thamani Asili supports Kenya’s Vision 2030, the country’s long-term development  blueprint, national climate commitments and global biodiversity targets. It sets out a  practical way to protect nature while strengthening livelihoods and supporting long term economic growth. 

It represents the tenth PFP initiative so far supported by Enduring Earth, a bold  collaboration founded in 2020 by The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts,  World Wildlife Fund, and ZOMA LAB, with expanded support from Bezos Earth Fund and  the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.  

Thamani Asili anticipates key financial support from dozens of donors, including Daniel  C. Chung, Dennis and Connie Keller, Jan and Emily Hammer, Margaret A. Cargill  Philanthropies, Mary Anne Rogers, Palladium Foundation, Red Crane Foundation,  Richard Rosen and Anna-Marie Pavlik, Rob Walton Foundation, Robert W. Wilson  Charitable Trust, Sally Liu, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Scott and Roxanne Bok,  Stephanie March and Dan Benton, Stuart and Joanna Brown, TNC Scale Up Fund. 

Ends… 

For further information,  

Media contacts: 

US: Rachel Winters / rwinters@tnc.org  

Kenya/Africa: Victor Nyambok / victor.nyambok@tnc.org 

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About TNC: The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated  to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we  create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that  nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving  lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water  sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working  to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by  direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach  that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.  To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.

Enduring Earth is a bold collaboration founded in 2020 by The Nature Conservancy, The  Pew Charitable Trusts, World Wildlife Fund, and ZOMA LAB, with expanded support  from Bezos Earth Fund and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Enduring Earth  partners with governments, communities, Indigenous peoples, and funders to  accelerate conservation and sustainable development, address biodiversity loss,  secure durable financing, and enhance economic growth, using the PFP model. Since  its launch, Enduring Earth has worked with local partners to durably conserve a total of  more than 282 million hectares of lands and waters in Brazil, Canada, Colombia,  Gabon, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, and Namibia, and secure US$2.1 billion in  sustainable finance for nature and people.